Introduction to Communication Electronic Warfare Systems. - book review

Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, July-Sept, 2002 by John H. Girardeau

Dr. Richard Poisel's intent in writing Introduction to Communication Electronic Warfare Systems was to provide an introductory-level textbook for communications electronic warfare (EW) engineers. This was in part due to his own experience when he first joined the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command as a communication EW systems engineer in 1976. At that time, his sources were college books on the basics of radio and electronic theory, and his own experience. While he had texts and manuals addressing EW systems for radars, none existed for communications EW systems.

Although Dr. Poisel's intended audience for this book was the communications EW engineering com munity, it is also a good reference for the Military Intelligence signals intelligence (SIGINT) officer, analyst, or operator. The book provides an intermediate-level overview of radiowave propagation theory, how various types of communications systems operate, and the basic engineering principles of communications EW system design. While the number of mathematical equations found throughout the book may seem overwhelming, one does not need an electrical engineering background to understand what the author is saying. The mathematical equations are primarily for illustrative and instructional purposes.

While much of this book focuses on the principles of communications EW system engineering, Dr. Poisel does attempt to address the operational application of communications EW systems. This includes the application of electronic warfare support (ES) as it pertains to detecting, collecting, and locating communications emitters, and electronic attack (EA) which involves the application of directed electromagnetic energy to a communications receiver. However, the reader should be aware that this book does not represent the "state of the art" in communications EW. As the title states, this book is only intended as an introduction to communications EW systems; it will not make the reader an expert in communications EW after reading this book.

Staff Sergeant

John H. Girardeau

Fort Huachuca, Arizona